Wringer roll drive mechanism



Patented Dec. 3, I t l ust-Teo `sinTi-:s PATENT OFFICE Nicholas L. Etten, Waterloo, Iowa, assigner to Chamberlain Gericom-tion, Waterloo, Iowa Application June 5,1935, ySerial No. l25,0379

3 Claims. (ntima-,253)

This invention has reference to wringer roll' handlever I'I pivotally attached to the top frame drive mechanism and has for one of its objects. by'neans of a pin I8. to provide a mechanism disposed within a wring- The upper arm of the lever lies inan angular er roll operable to establish driving connection f relation to the top frame and is normally urged 5 between 4the roll and a prime mover in accordtoward this position by a spring I9. The lower 5 ance with conditions under which the roll is oparm 20 has-anfinwardly directed hook 2l adapted erated. f I to engage lug I4 when the upper arm of lever Il Another object is to provide a clutching mechalies iny elevated position. nism disposed-within a wringer roll, which is op- Hook 2| is obviously adapted to prevent moveerable to establish driving connection between ment of the top frame away from upright II. 10

thero'll and a prime mover when the roll' is held It will be apparent that hooks I6l and 2| counder normal working pressure and is rendered operate to hold the top frame in position on the inoperative for the purpose-.when pressure on uprights so that the left hand end of the top the roll is relieved. frame may be released by vmanipulation of lever l" A further object lies in the provision ofaroll I'I downwardly into the position indicated in 15 wringer'mechanism including a pair of rolls, one dotted lines,A to remove hook 2| from lug I4.' of which is adapted to be pressed against the Upper and lower rolls 22 and 23 are disposed other, and mechanism for vbringing about such in the lower frame structure. pressure or relieving the same, wherein one oi Ihe lower roll is supported by means of its l the rolls is provided with a clutching mechanism, shaft vends 2l and 25 being.r journalled in bearingk 20 disposed within itself, which is operable to autoblocks 26 andy 21 stationarily supported inv the matically establish driving connection between lower frame structure. the roll and a prime mover when the roll is Upper roll 22 rests upon the lower roll and itsv o, lpressed and is automatically rendered inoperable shaft 28 supports inverted bearing. blocks29 and 25 when the pressure is relieved. 30 which in turn support opposite ends of a spring Other objects will appear in the following de- 3|. The spring is supported in the top frame by4 scription'and accompanying drawing in which; means of attachment to a screw member 32 Fig. 1 is a side elevational view showing a roll which is threadedlymounted inthe top frame. n wringer mechanism embodying my invention With the top frame locked upon uprghts II 30 "0 with portions 0fthe iramebroken away to exand I2 as explained, the screw 32 may be ad-y pose interior parts; justed to stress the spring 3| downwardly to pressv Fig. 2 is a .broken sectional view, taken at apthe upper roll 22 against the lower roll whereby proximately the center line of one of the rolls, v the mechanism ismade ready for usual wringing u showing details of mechanism to be explained; operation.A Y. f f "95 3 Fis. 3 1s a fragmented View. partly in section, With the parts in this positiomwhen it is ele-1y v ShOWng details 0f mechanism. the Same Vbein sired to quickly release the pressure of the rolls.

taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 2;` L; y it is but necessary to manipulate the' leverfIT F18. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 SllOW'ing Darts downwardly toward the dottedv line position in operated position as will be described; and .v whereuponthe 11001;. 2| r disengages frQm lugA I4 40 Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 in and theleft hand end ofthe. frame ismade free 40 Fig' 2' f f to move upwardly Ain response tothepress'ur'e'of" For'the purpose of illustration I showand de' Swirls-3|..` ,l scribe ai roll twringert mechaiism if omewila This movement Gril-the left? h-ahded tends.. to, convent onal ype. I is to e un ers oo a y Gaus-e 'unhooking ofthe right hmm @amandine-45 my invention is not limited to application to any t fr me l lsthusmad mgovbl dwarf t particular type or make oi wringer.v Op .ta 1 t H-l ,A la# ivf .th-1p a y 1 d The mechanism includes a lower frame portion, nerim Comp e e.. .re-axaf Qn o spilli@ an m, provided with upright portions 1|A and mv removal of pressure between the rolls. y. I which carry lugs I3 and Il near` their upperends. MY mvention- 1S .Principny @WEP/Ced. t0 the., Upon the upright pol-'tions fsrdisposed a top mechanism of ,the.lower.roll;.23,r whichfoperates 50 frame member I5 which is provided, at the right NS'DOnSiVely t0 thepressllre' OD the rolls,v as Will hand end,y witha hook portion I3 adapted to ennow be explained: i H gage lug I3 in such a manner as to prevent the The lower roll mechanism 'comprises a metallic top frame from moving away from upright I2. tubular member 33 which is surrounded by apad At the leit hand end, top `frame I3 carries a or tube of rubber 34 by means of which it is given the appearance and utility of a conventional I wringer roll.

In each end of tube 33 there is amxed a plug. 3

23, which resists rotative movement of the shaft 34 and 35.

Journalled in plug 34 is the shaft 24 extending a considerable distance within the tube and car- 1 rying at its inner end a head portion 35 which is fitted for rotation in the tube. The shaft 'is confined against longitudinal movement toward the left by means of an afilxed collar 31 seated l upon plug 34. i

tance to clear the outer wall of upright |2 and, f to have means of connection, as at 3.8, wlthha Shaft 25, at the opposite end of the rollfex- 1 tends outwardly from `the roll a sufficient dispower source not shown.

A contracted portion as, of the shaft is jonrnailed in plug and extends within tube 33 as shown, to terminate in an enlarged head portionv 40 fitted for rotation in thel tube.v

The inner end ofv shaft 24 is recessed and in the bottom of the recess there is afllxed atorsionally flexible spring member 4|, the opposite end of which is aixed in the head 40. g

By means of the spring,'shafts 24 and 25 are connected for operation in a novel manner as will.

1 be explained.

Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate that head 36v and plug 35 are provided with diametrically disposed grooves 42 and 43 respectively, disposed in opposing relation, and that head 40 has a plurality of 1 openings 44 lying parallel with the'axial center ofk the shafts.

In the openings V44 there are loosely `tting balls 1 45 having a combined diameter equalling more than the width of head 40. 'I'he arrangement is illustrated in the severalviews. f

Operation of the mechanism is as follows .z With the top frame released and spring 3| relaxed the pressure of roll 22 upon roll 23 is only that due to the weight of the roll and accesl sory parts. With this as a basis, the spring 4| is made` 1 sufficiently stiff to overcome the friction devel-k oped on shaft 24 as a result of said weight, and to j impart rotary movement of the driving shaft 25 to the shaft 24 withoutappreciable flexing.

In manufacture the spring 4| is attached in such position that groove 42 and openings 44 lie in register as in Fig. 3.- With the parts in this `position and the load adjusted as above, shaft 25, together with shaft 24, may be rotated without accompanying movement of roll 23.`

However, if the top frame is replaced and the upper roll is placed in pressure relation with roll 23, friction on the bearing surfaces will be considerably increased and shaft 24 will thus require l,greater power tobe transmitted through spring 4| in order to rotate it. Thistransmission of greater power cannoty be accomplished without ja certain amount of distortion of the spring and `such distortion results in a lagging movement of Ishaft 24 with respect to shaft 25, which places the parts in the relative position shown in Fig. 4, iwherein the balls have been forced out of groovey `42 and positioned to engage groove v43 whereby head 40 is placed in keyedrelation with roll 23 tol `drive the roll unitarily with shaft "25.

Under conditions of practicaluse, when garupon roll 23 is' increased and this results in further distortion of spring 4|, however when the spring is distorted sumciently to place the flat face of head 33 opposite the balls 45. the latter are abuttedto ilrmly engage the plug 35. From ments are passed between the rolls the pressure aaaasn v this point no further movement `of head 40, with respect to head It, is probable for the reason that the friction between shaft 24 and bearing and would tend to cause the shaft to lag, is at least equalled by the friction between plug 3,4 f

and the shaft, which wouldtendto -carry the shaft'in rotation with the roll. v

1t wm be obvious that releaseme'nt of the topframe, as described. would instantly result in replacement of the driving parts in original position to disable the driving connection and permit l, known. However, Aunder conditions of practical use the release mechanism-is. seldom used except shafts 24 and 25 to continue rotation while roll 23 5y 1s f I in emergency, suchi as would appear whenfingers are caught between the rolls, or hair or personal clothing are wrapped around them.

In the case of such emergencyit1 is obviously l necessary 'to instantly relieve theV pressure be-y i tween the rolls but ..the danger `of injury to an operator does not disappear upon mere release of i the pressure. In the event of hair .orv clothing being wrapped around the rolls, and lnnumerous other possible situations, release of the pressure,`

with continuation of rotation of the rolls only lessens the danger but does not remove it. Y.

` In viewor this it wm beopparent thatztne ideal arrangement would provide means for instantly -relieving the :roll pressure and simultaneously arresting rotation thereof, and it isr to the end of providing an effective means of arrestsA v ing rotation of the rolls simultaneously with release of pressure therebetween thatI have ducedthe invention herein disclosed.

pro-

Modifications of structure are Iobviously `pos-f` sible without alteration of the principlefinvolved. I do not wish to belimitedinstructure, function or application yof the invention except within they lscope of the appended claims.

WhatIclaimis: f'

1. In a roll wringer mechanism, a pairy ofco-'l l operative rolls, instrumentalities forfpressing said rolls together .and for releasing the rollsfrom low, bearings for said roll including a support at lone end thereof and a drive shaft at the opposite 2. In a roll wringer mechanism, a pair of co-v operative rolls, instrumentalities forpressing said rolls together and j for Vreleasing .the rolls from `pressing engagement, ,one of said rolls being hol--` [low and provided with bearing members at -its opposite ends, a shaft rotatably mounted Vin the bearing-,atfoneend of said roll, afdrive shaft rotatably mounted inA the bearing at the'other end of said roll, clutching members confined with- 'in the interior of said roll, and interconnections between 'said drive shaft, clutching members, and vrotatable shaft whereby bearing pressure will automatically control the driving engagement and release of theroll. f 1 3. In a roll wringer mechanism, a pair of cooperative rolls. instrumentalities for pressing said rolls together and for releasing the rolls from 'the rolls arereleased vend, andclutching means confinedwithin said 55' L'lo v v 5|)k pressingengagement, one of said rolls being hol-t- L rotatable shaft, said interconnections including a yieldabie coupling between said shafts whereby they may rotate together when the roll is not clutched but may have relative rotation when influenced by bearing 4pressure to apply the` clutching members to drive theroli from the interior thereof.

NICHOLAS L. EI'IEN. 

